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Can someone please let me know things I should know when looking to host a domain name? Also I would like advice on putting up a holding page and how to put one up aswell.
I have seen this site http://orders2.names.co.uk/order/ste...ing&tld=.co.uk that looks ok to someone inexperienced like me. Please advise. Thank you.

From your IP it looks as if you are in the U.K.
Most hosting companies will register a domain name for you for free if you agree to host with them. You can then put up a holding page until you get your site sorted.

If you feel that someone's post helped you fix your problem, answered your question, or just made you feel better, feel free to "Like" their post. The "Like" link is at the bottom right of each post, along side the "reply" link. And if you are being helped here, try to help someone else - pass it on!

Never...EVER...register a domain name through your host. Should there be an issue with the design, development and/or hosting of the site, the host retains control. Pay the $10 a year and register it yourself and save yourself a lot of potential heartache later (because it's yours).

As far as what to look for with hosting, that depends on your site.

Does it use any server-side languages (PHP, ASP, ASP.net, etc.?)
Is it a new site? If not, how much bandwidth do you expect for it to receive?
How many email addresses and/or email forwards will you require?
Does your site require a database? If so, what type (MySQL, MS-SQL, Access, etc.)
Does your site have any special hosting requirements, custom installs, things like that?

The more of those questions you can answer, the more suitable a host you will find.

Never...EVER...register a domain name through your host. Should there be an issue with the design, development and/or hosting of the site, the host retains control. Pay the $10 a year and register it yourself and save yourself a lot of potential heartache later (because it's yours).

As far as what to look for with hosting, that depends on your site.

Does it use any server-side languages (PHP, ASP, ASP.net, etc.?)
Is it a new site? If not, how much bandwidth do you expect for it to receive?
How many email addresses and/or email forwards will you require?
Does your site require a database? If so, what type (MySQL, MS-SQL, Access, etc.)
Does your site have any special hosting requirements, custom installs, things like that?

The more of those questions you can answer, the more suitable a host you will find.

Game - I always register my own domains separately.
BUT often my client wants the free domain so I explain as best I can and then leave the decision up to them.

If you feel that someone's post helped you fix your problem, answered your question, or just made you feel better, feel free to "Like" their post. The "Like" link is at the bottom right of each post, along side the "reply" link. And if you are being helped here, try to help someone else - pass it on!

In my case, I just tell them "go with GoDaddy and you'll be protected from problems should they arise." None of my clients have ever registered with their hosts as a result. They may not go with GoDaddy but they go with some registrar.

Thinking about it more specifically - it's my Canadian clients who want .ca domains and strictly Canadian hosting, that go with registering with the host, mainly because they want the "100% Canadian" cachet.

If you feel that someone's post helped you fix your problem, answered your question, or just made you feel better, feel free to "Like" their post. The "Like" link is at the bottom right of each post, along side the "reply" link. And if you are being helped here, try to help someone else - pass it on!

Not everyone that lives in the UK wants a .co.uk address.... but even so... if their target markets are in the US... perhaps registering and hosting here is more feasible...

"parking pages" are pretty much a standard thing here in the US when you register a domain if the registrar is worth a lick... but they are ad revenue pages for the domain....

once you register a domain...and acquire a hosting account... just create a simple HTML page with the "coming soon... " or whatever you want on it, and upload it to the hosting server you choose... this is true anywhere...

I really don't understand the "free domain" concept.... I always urge potential clients to register the domain for the longest time possible... for security sake as well as "SEO" benefits... the web site itself is an investment in their business... so should be the domain name... 10 years for under a hundred bucks... no brainier in my book...

I don't agree with registering domains for a 10-year period myself. I never bought into the SEO theory (anyone can spend money), and even good registrars are capable of disappearing off the face of the earth. So I only ever register domains a year at a time.

I made the mistake of getting my domain for free through the web host i use for one of my sites. By the time that expires I will be hosting the site here at my house. Will it be a problem to point the domain to my servers? Or are they gonna wanna keep the domain?
web host is webhostingpad.com and my site is hardwareinsights.com...

Now to stick to topic, for my hosting comany that i own (shovehost) I decided to only do free forum hosting because .com domains are like $20/month in the Uk (the guys whose service i resell has his business in there) and (even though i live in the usa) that is too much...